EastEnders' Shona McGarty announces "ambitious" new West End role

Former EastEnders star Shona McGarty has been announced for a new West End role in a musical celebrating cabaret and written by lyricist Don Black. From the Heart is Black's personal tribute to the New York cabaret scene, with McGarty joining the cast from October alongside Olivier Award nominee Frances Mayli McCann.

McGarty, known for playing Whitney Dean on the BBC soap until her departure in 2024, has commented: "I am so excited to be part of this show. Don Black is such a legend, and I'm honoured to be singing his songs!"

The musical features brand new songs written with composers such as Gary Barlow, Natasha Bedingfield, David Arnold, Debbie Wiseman and Mike Batt, and is brought to the stage under the musical direction of Joe Church, with arrangements and musical supervision by Nick Barstow.

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Playing at Garrick Theatre in London's West End between 8 and 18 October, From the Heart also stars Caroline O'Connor, Olivier Award winner Clive Rowe, and West End and Broadway star and two-time Olivier Award nominee Michael D Xavier.

Every show will culminates in a medley of Black's most popular songs with a surprise special guest taking to the stage alongside the cast.

The final musical number is set to feature Black' classics 'Born Free', 'Ben', 'Love Changes Everything', 'With One Look', 'To Sir With Love', and 'As If We Never Said Goodbye', as well as a special homage to his contribution to the James Bond films, with theme songs including 'Diamonds are Forever', 'Thunderball', 'The Man With The Golden Gun', and 'The World is Not Enough'.

McGarty last appeared on EastEnders earlier this year when Whitney retuned to Walford after a two-year absence. She briefly reunited with her ex Zack Hudson, who didn't take very well the news that she was seeing someone.

EastEnders airs on Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.

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